This invention relates generally to electrical light system such as a halogen light system. More particularly, this invention relates to a light system that can readily be assembled to form a number of versions of the system and to a halogen light system with a relatively cool outer frame.
Electric lights are provided in locations in which natural light does not provide sufficient or appropriate illumination. Recently, it has become popular to provide lights with halogen bulbs. An advantage of a halogen bulb, in comparison to other bulbs, is that, for its size, it requires relatively little power to be energized and it radiates relatively large amounts of power. Often halogen light assemblies are mounted to pieces of furniture and display cases. When these lights are turned on, they provide relatively focused beams of light.
A light assembly, such as a halogen light assembly, can be considered to have both a body and a frame. The body supports a bulb socket and a reflector located around the socket. The frame serves as the housing in which the body is seated. Some light assemblies, such as halogen light assemblies, are also provided with a lens. The lens is seated over the bulb. The lens accomplishes two purposes. First, the lens focuses the light in a desired pattern. Secondly, the lens functions as a protect cover that prevents curious fingers from touching the bulb. When the bulb is on, radiating both light and heat, such contact can result in a painful and possibly damaging burn. Currently, it is often the practice to fabricate the body and frame of a light assembly together as a single, monolithic, unit. This assembly may also include a member that holds the lens to the frame.
The providers of light assemblies are increasing asked to provide different versions of their assemblies. One option the purchasers of these assemblies now like to have is the ability to obtain assemblies fabricated so that their exposed surfaces have different colors. For instance, a first purchaser may want an assembly in which the exposed surfaces have a common color. A second purchaser may request an assembly constructed so that its exposed surfaces adjacent the lens is a first color and the outer surface has a second color. Also, manufactures are often required to supplies different light assemblies that have different frames. Specifically, one purchaser may require a frame that designed for mounting to a surface so that the exposed surfaces are essentially flush with the adjacent support surface. A different purchaser may require a frame designed to project away from the adjacent surface to which the assembly is mounted. Some purchasers require that one/off switches be integrally mounted to the frames of their assemblies. Still other purchasers do not require and do not even want such switches.
Currently, in order for a manufacturer to meet the demand for all the different variations in types of assemblies, it must manufacture different numbers of assemblies. This often leaves the manufacturer with two choices. First, it can pre-manufacture a large number of different assemblies that vary in their features. Thus, the manufacturer will have available some assemblies that are all solid colors in the different colors in which it manufactures the assemblies. The manufacturer will also have available assemblies that have different, multi-color patterns. If the manufacturer markets versions of its light assembly that vary in the style of their frames, in order to be fully stocked, the number of different versions of pre-manufactured assemblies is then multiplied by the number of different available frames. Thus, in order for a manufacturer to be fully stocked, it must have available a large number of different light assemblies that differ by only several details in their color or other feature. Maintaining all these different light assemblies in inventory can easily become cost and stockeeping burdens.
The second choice available to the manufacturer is to fabricate specific assemblies as they are ordered. This xe2x80x9con requestxe2x80x9d manufacturing substantially eliminates the stockeeping burden associated with having different versions of an assembly pre-manufactured and ready for shipment. However, if the customer order is relatively small, it may not be economically worthwhile for a manufacturer to start up a production line in order to provide a few units that have a specific configuration. If this situation arises, the light assembly supplier is left with two choices. The supplier can commit to production recognizing that the output of the particular production run may not provide a-reasonable financial return. Alternatively, given the poor rate of return associated with the production run, the manufacturer can choose not to fulfill the customer""s order. If this latter action is taken, the manufacture may also loose the repeat business the customer would have provided.
Even if the manufacturer agrees to provide the specific version of the light assembly, it may take some time for it to perform the required production run. A customer wanting the light assemblies may not appreciate or accept the delay associated with waiting to have them fabricated.
Also, there is a special problem that is often associated with halogen light assemblies. As a byproduct of the light it emits, a halogen bulb radiates an appreciable amount of thermal energy, heat. This thermal energy is absorbed by the surrounding components. In a single-piece light assembly, the heat is conductively transferred to the outer surface of the frame. Consequently, this surface becomes hot. Sometimes the temperature of this surface rises to the level at which should an individual contact it, he/she can potentially surfer a burn injury.
This invention relates to a new and improved light assembly. The light assembly of this invention is formed out of a number of different components. The components forming this assembly can readily be snap-fitted together. One advantage of the light assembly of this invention is that multiple versions of the same components are provided that have different surfaces and/or other different features. Thus, by selectively choosing the appropriate version of each component and mating the selected components together, an end product light assembly can be easily assembled that satisfies a particular customer""s design characteristics.
Still another advantage of the light assembly of this invention is that the components forming the assembly inherently define at least one, if not more, air gaps between the bulb and the frame. These air gaps minimize the extent to which heat generated by the bulb, such as a halogen bulb, is transferred to the outer surface of the frame. The minimization of this thermal energy transfer reduces the extent the heat radiated by the bulb warms the outer surface of the frame.